Shake It Off and Step Up

 

A parable tells of an old dog that fell into a farmer’s unused well. After assessing the situation, the farmer sympathized with the dog but decided that neither the dog nor the well were worth the trouble of saving. Instead, he planned to bury the old dog in the well and put him out of his misery. When the farmer began shoveling dirt into the well, initially the old dog was hysterical. But as the farmer continued shoveling, the dirt hit the dog’s back, and a thought struck him. It dawned on the dog that every time a shovel of dirt landed on his back, he should shake it off and step up. This he did blow after blow. “Shake it off and step up, shake it off and step up!” he repeatedly encouraged himself. No matter how painful the blows or how distressing the situation seemed, the old dog fought panic and just kept shaking it off and stepping up! It was not long before the dog, battered and exhausted, stepped triumphantly over the wall of the well. What seemed as though it would bury him actually benefited him – all because of the way he managed his adversity. If we face our problems and respond to them positively, refusing to give into panic, bitterness, or self-pity, the adversities that come along to bury us usually have within them the potential to bless us! Forgiveness, faith, prayer, praise, and hope are some of the Biblical ways to shake it off and step us out of the well in which we find ourselves.

Pray for God’s mercy and love on those buried in the suffering of the California fires.

[Isaiah 41:13] “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” I love the story of the first grader who stood in front of his classroom to make a speech about, “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up.” He said, “I want to be a lion tamer and have lots of fierce lions. I’ll just walk into the cage, and they will roar.” He paused for a moment, thinking about what he had just said and then added, “But of course, I’ll have my mother with me.” What a difference it makes when we have someone we trust by our side. The presence of our Shepherd is a source of great comfort to us. A sheep doesn’t feel safe because it says, “I am stronger than the lion;” or “I am able to escape from the bear;” or “I shall always be able to avoid the wolf.” A sheep feels safe because “Your rod and your staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). And sheep need to be comforted because they are very easily frightened. If one sheep gets startled and runs away, all of the others will follow behind it with fear, not waiting to see what frightened them. But nothing quiets a flock of sheep like seeing their shepherd in the field with them.

Like sheep, we also are easily frightened. We live in an uncertain world. We’re concerned about so many things that have happened and that could happen. But nothing quiets our souls like knowing that our Shepherd is near. As Jesus promised, “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). That doesn’t mean we won’t have enemies, or we won’t pass through dark valleys; Psalm 23 makes that clear. The comforting promise in Scripture is not that we will be protected from disappointment and pain; rather, it is that our Lord is a Shepherd who will never abandon us in those dark moments. “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).

A man traveling through the countryside noticed that a weathervane on the roof of a farm building bore the phrase, “God Is Love.” He asked the farmer, “Do you think that God’s love is as changeable as that weathervane?” “You missed the point sir,” replied the farmer. “It is on the weathervane because no matter which way the wind is blowing, God is still love.” “And we have known and believed the love God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16). Praise God for His love.

Never Die Easy

 

2025 - I AM THE NEW YEAR. I am unused, unspotted, without blemish. I stretch before you 365 days long. I will present each day in its turn, for you to place upon it your imprint. I AM THE NEW YEAR. Each hour of each day, I will give you 60 minutes that have never known the use of man. I will present each of them white and pure. It remains for you to fill them with sixty jeweled seconds of love, hope, endeavor, patience, and trust in God. I AM THE NEW YEAR. I am here – but once past, I can never be recalled. Make me your best!

Walter Payton ranks second on the NFL list of all-time leaders in rushing yards. Through thirteen seasons as a Chicago Bear, Payton was tackled and knocked down thousands of times. He built an extraordinary career, not by getting knocked down, but by not staying down! He was knocked down the final time when he died on November 1, 1999, 45 years old. Payton had a motto in life – “Never Die Easy” – which he attributed to Bob Hill, his coach at Jackson State University. Payton refused to deliberately run out-of-bounds and always sought to resist would-be-tacklers instead of going down or giving in without a fight. “Never Die Easy” is also the title of Paton’s posthumously published autobiography.

The words “never die easy” and the approach to life they represent have an application far beyond the football field. The Christian life requires that we commit to “never die easy.” Jesus lived and died that way. One place that makes that clear is John 19:30 where, in His dying moments on the cross, Jesus cried, “It is finished.” The context reveals that although He is nearing death, He did not die easy. He was scourged, beaten, spit on, mocked, stripped, and nailed to the cross (John 19:1-18; Matthew 26-27; Luke 22-23). Surrounded by a hostile crowd that taunted, jeered, and insulted Him, Jesus hung on to God’s plan and purpose for His life even as He hung on a rugged cross – held there not by metal spikes but by a love even stronger than those spikes – a love His foes could not beat or crucify or shame or shout out of him. In the midst of that gut-wrenching kind of struggle Jesus said, “It is finished” – not a cry of defeat but of victory! Notice the Lord did not say, “I am finished,” but “It is finished.” Precisely what “it” was is made clear back in John 17:4 when He prayed to His Father (a few hours before dying on the cross), “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” By His death on the cross Jesus completed God’s wonderous plan to save man, a plan born in eternity, carried out over thousands of years, and culminating in the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. As he prepared to draw His last breath, in awful circumstances that included shedding His blood for our sins, the Son of God said, with a cry of triumph, “It is finished.” He went on to die but then got up from the grave three days later!

As a Christian are you taking the easy way out, or have you committed yourself to “never die easy?” Some marriages die too easily, with little or no fight to save them. Some Christians leave the faith to easily. Some get tired of serving and just pitch in the towel. Others are let down by someone in the church and just quit the Lord. How many begin the good fight of faith (1 Timothy 6:12) only to give up far before they finish? Are you close to quitting? Are your circumstances discouraging? Are you weary and heavy-hearted? Pessimistic about your job? Have your dreams not materialized? Are you tired of the daily grind? Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear? Do you find yourself wanting to give up? Don’t do it! Heaven will not be for those who die easy. Let us, like Jesus, commit to finishing God’s will and work for our lives no matter what comes our way. Never die easy! 2025 is going to be a great challenge for everyone. Pray for courage and strength.

2025 The Best Year of Your Life

 

Well, the calendar says it’s winter and the only way we can tell in South Texas half the time is the cold water tap actually has cold water coming forth again. I imagine the wintry weather will sneak in eventually and hopefully bring some much-needed rain with it. It’s also time to think about the new year and as always, we tend to make promises to ourselves that generally last about a week. Unhealthy habits are the most often desired to rid from our life and the hardest to rid from our life. I’ve found a sure-fire way to reach that goal. Simple human behavior takes repetitive acts and, experts tell us, in thirty days those acts become a habit. We have in essence incorporated new behavior in our lifestyle. Of course, not all new behavior is negative, but some are very unhealthy, socially, and physically. We tend to recognize unhealthy habits and continually promise ourselves to get rid of them. So, if it takes thirty days to form a habit it only makes sense it’s going to take thirty days to break a habit. I contend it takes thirty-one days because it takes one day to convince oneself to determine they really want to do it. That’s the hard part. Then it’s one day at a time struggling to battle and conquer the goal in mind. Thirty days - that’s all! Good luck!

We have all seen a toddler crawling around a room, eagerly eyeing furniture that can be used for leverage when the time comes for “pulling-up.” We have also seen that toddler reach the “pull-up” stage and move to the walking “without no-holds.” We rightly praise and encourage such behavior. We know that growth is only achieved by going beyond present circumstances. What we sometimes forget is that we (adults) need to grow also. That growth, though it may be imperceptible to the eye, is still real growth.

Let us consider some things we need to move beyond in order for us to grow spiritually. Our achievements will only be as high as our heist goals. If we aspire to be pew-warmers only, that is all we will be. Our minds will not be engaged in the private study of the Word of God and our faith will not be challenged by the Word’s clash with the world in our daily life. We dare not be content with “just being religious.” Here’s a challenge for us: “Therefore, be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 5:1). That ought to raise our goal. Make 2025 the best year of your life with determination, and God’s help.

There is no doubt about it, in this world we will have tribulation (John 16:33), or trouble. Persecution is to be expected (2 Timothy 3:12). Further, physical accidents and health failures occur regularly, as does death. Christians are not immune to any of these things. Therefore, when these occur in our life, we must deal with them in a realistic, optimistic manner. There is no way that will minimize the importance of our own health or the personhood of those we love. However, if we cannot accept the loss of something or someone that/who is truly gone from this life, we will suffer serious mental and spiritual consequences. Make 2025 the best year of your life with determination, and God’s help.

We all have certain limitations. They may be in our physical make-up or circumstances. However, we can move beyond some of those limitations. For example, we may hold a job that pays minimum wages. However, that doesn’t mean that we or the job are insignificant. We can work enthusiastically at any job we may hold (Ecclesiastes 5:1). We can do the best we can with what God has given and be satisfied in the realization that we have done so. Make 2025 the best year of your life. Approach it with determination, and God’s help.

Growth, by its nature, means moving beyond the present circumstance to even better circumstances. If we approach it in that manner, even the most disheartening of circumstances can be faced with courage and optimism. It’s time to go beyond and grow.

Do You See What I See?

 

In 1809 the international scene was tumultuous. Napoleon was sweeping through Austria; blood was flowing freely. Nobody then cared about babies, but the world was overlooking some significant births. William Gladstone was born that year. He was destined to become one of England's finest statesman. That same year, Alfred Tennyson was born to an obscure minister and his wife. The child would one day greatly affect the literary world in a marked manner. On the American continent, Oliver Wendell Holmes was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. And not far away in Boston, Edgar Allan Poe began his eventful, albeit tragic, life. It was also in that same year that a physician named Darwin, and his wife named their child Charles Robert. And that same year produced the cries of a newborn infant in a rugged log cabin in Hardin County, Kentucky. The baby's name? Abraham Lincoln. If there had been news broadcasts at that time, I'm certain everyone thought taxation was the big news of the day when Jesus was born. But a young Jewish woman cradled the biggest news of all: the birth of the Savior. By Charles Swindoll

[Matthew 25:31-46] You say, had I been there in Bethlehem that night I would have seen. I would have understood. I would have known it was the Christ child. Would you? There is one way of knowing: Ask yourself what you have seen and heard this Christmas Season. * When you watched the 6:00 news did you see chaos and strife, or did you see sheep without a shepherd. * When you went out to do your shopping did you see only hordes of people in the stores, or did you notice the worried expressions on some of their faces - worried because they are facing this Christmas without employment or enough money, and they don't know how they are going to make ends meet. What did you hear this Christmas? * Did you hear only the blast of music and carols, or did you hear the silent sighs of the lonely and the bereaved who may be dreading Christmas because it accentuates their loneliness. * And in the midst of the sounds of honking horns and people arguing over parking places, did you hear faint sounds of laughter because you furnished food and toys for families and children. * So often what you see and what you hear is not dependent upon the event but upon you. If you did in fact hear the cry from the lonely, the laughter of poor children, if you saw the sheep without a shepherd, then, and only then, might you have noticed the events that took place in Bethlehem that night. Brett Blair, Sermon Illustrations.

Long ago, there ruled in Persia a wise and good king. He loved his people. He wanted to know how they lived. He wanted to know about their hardships. Often, he dressed in the clothes of a working man or a beggar and went to the homes of the poor. No one whom he visited thought that he was their ruler. One time he visited a very poor man who lived in a cellar. He ate the coarse food the poor man ate. He spoke cheerful, kind words to him. Then he left. Later he visited the poor man again and disclosed his identity by saying, "I am your king!" The king thought the man would surely ask for some gift or favor, but he didn't. Instead, he said, "You left your palace and your glory to visit me in this dark, dreary place. You ate the course food I ate. You brought gladness to my heart! To others you have given your rich gifts. To me you have given yourself!"

The King of glory, the Lord Jesus Christ, gave himself to you and me. The Bible calls Him, "the unspeakable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:10-15)

Some gifts you can give this Christmas: Mend a quarrel, dismiss suspicion, tell someone, "I love you." Give something away--anonymously. Give as God gave to you in Christ, without obligation, announcement, reservation, or hypocrisy. Merry Christmas.

Please, Don't Squeeze the Skunk

 

In a book by John Haggai entitled, “How to Win Over Worry” the author tells the story of a Mrs. Monroe who resided in Maryland. Mrs. Monroe, a typical mother like any other mother you might meet, had gone to the store and left her children home watching television. When she arrived home and walked into the kitchen carrying her bags of groceries she felt an eerie silence in the house. She looked into the den and saw her five children sitting around in a circle in the middle of the floor with their attention on what was before them. Mrs. Monroe walked in and saw her children playing with five cute little skunks. Startled, she yelled at her children, “Run, children, run!” With that, each child grabbed a skunk and ran in five different directions. As they ran, she screamed even louder scaring the children so badly that each one squeezed their skunk. The moral of the lesson is “Skunks don’t like to be squeezed!”

Maybe we find ourselves in life squeezing the skunk, getting so frustrated with what weighs us down that we act or react in a way that just makes things worse. We’ve all probably been there and, in the end, have a bigger mess to get out of than we had to start.

I start this week’s article with this story as I observe selfish, immature worldly leaders causing stinks all over the world playing with and squeezing skunks that should ought to be left alone. I believe President Ronald Reagan was the one who emphasized the philosophy of “peace through strength.” He meant that the United States was more likely to enjoy a peaceful existence if we maintained a strong defense. The idea is that a strong and mighty military might keep us out of war. Christians, however, can live by the concept of “peace through strength” regardless of their country’s military power. Biblical peace is not the absence of war; rather it is the result of enjoying a right relationship with Almighty God, no matter what is happening in the world. God’s strength brings peace to His saints.

When we have been justified by faith, “…we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). This is “…the peace of God, that surpasses all understanding” and that “will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

[James 5:16] “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” I am persuaded that most people would concede they need to pray more than they do. We all recognize the importance of prayer, so why do we not pray more than we do? I think one reason is that we do not truly appreciate the power of prayer. For faithful Christians, prayer is our connection to our Heavenly Father and His unlimited power and wisdom. The power of prayer was expressed by James in his writing. Notice that the fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Prayer itself must also be fervent, that is, it must be continual, sincere, and from a trusting heart. James gave the example of the prophet Elijah who prayed fervently, and God heard his prayer (James 5:17-18). Fervent prayers from a righteous heart are effective, that is, God will answer them according to His perfect will and timetable. We are assured that such prayer “avails much,” which is more than a little. There is real power in prayer! May we forever have faith in God and in the power of prayer.

Pray that God intercedes with wisdom and truth for those who are “squeezing the skunks” and stinking up the world with evil and depravity destroying His perfect creation.

While the world wallows in continuous warfare, the Christian can enjoy peace because of God’s grace. Don’t let the constant evil and worldly unrest rob you of peace, or the knowledge that, “come what may,” my soul is safe in the arms of Jesus. God save us!